§ SIR CHARLES NAPIERsaid, he rose to move the following Resolution:—
That it is the opinion of this House that the Sailors and Marines in Greenwich Hospital should be allowed to receive their pensions for wounds and injuries in the same manner that the officers do.The men in Greenwich Hospital ought to receive pensions for wounds the same as officers, and he could not understand how the First Lord of the Admiralty, having done an act of justice to the officers, could refuse to do the same in the case the men. He knew that great hardships arose in consequence of the men being deprived of their pensions for wounds.
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Amendment proposed,—
To leave out from the word "That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words, "it is the opinion of this House that the Sailors and
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Marines in Greenwich Hospital should be allowed to receive their pensions for wounds and injuries in the same manner that the Officers do," instead thereof.
§ Question proposed, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question."
§ SIR JOHN PAKINGTONsaid, he wished to ask the hon. and gallant Admiral whether he would have any objection to postpone his Motion till a later period. Before the hon. and gallant Admiral gave notice of his Motion, his (Sir J. Pakington's) attention had been called to the subject. He had been informed that considerable inconvenience had resulted from the practice of pensioners going into Greenwich Hospital being deprived of their pensions for wounds and injuries. He believed that this difficulty was felt more particularly in the case of married pensioners, many of whose wives had been obliged to seek admission into the workhouses of their unions. So that in several instances parishes had obtained the discharge of pensioners from the hospital so that they might resume their pensions and support their wives. Now, this was a state of things which, in his opinion, ought not to be allowed to go on. He had caused inquiries to be instituted, and the matter was at present under the consideration of the Admiralty. Under these circumstances he hoped the hon. and gallant Admiral would not press the matter further.
§ SIR GEORGE PECHELLsaid, he hoped that the gallant Admiral would adopt the suggestion of the First Lord of the Admiralty, and withdraw his Motion under the circumstances which had been stated by the Government. He wished at the same time to express his own thanks for what had been already done by the Government, which gave him hope for the future.
§ SIR CHARLES NAPIERremarked, that he would be very unreasonable indeed, if he did not adopt the suggestion of the right hon. Gentleman, who seemed to be directing considerable attention to those questions. He would, therefore, with confidence, leave the matter in the hands of the right hon. Gentleman.
§ Amendment by leave withdrawn.